I have just finished reading Annis ‘My Story’ and it’s a brilliant read so without giving any spoilers away here is my quick review.

1. Hooliganism

It would be absolute nonsense for Annis to write a book about his life without mentioning his self-confessed participation in football hooliganism.

Annis very much sees himself as a product of the times (late 70’s & the Nineteen Eighties) where frankly a large percentage of young boys/men took part in football related violence and the casual dress code. Times were completely different back then and if you are old enough to remember, you will know it wasn’t usual for youngsters to get involved with football violence because there was simply nothing else.

" Annis goes on to give graphic accounts of clashes with other firms and also describes how he first got involved as a naive 14 year old and how he went on to develope close bonds with other Soul Crew members which last until this day. There is no glorification and no apology either for his part in football violence, but he does in no uncertain terms warn every reader that getting involved in football violence today is absolutely stupid and quotes an example of a friend who has lost everything (including his liberty) despite only being a bystander at the game against Chelsea. "

2. The Writing

The book is so well written and it flows fluently from page 1 to 287. There is no fancy language or hidden agendas and there is great use of the narrative and descriptive lines. At times the book reaches out and envelopes you in the tension, for example I was gripped by the story about Annis facing a 2 week Crown Court trial for affray and the affect it had on his parents and also his meeting with Sam Hammam at his house when he gave Sam a few home truths.

3. Sam Hammam

Anyone who thinks Sam gets an easy ride in this book will be totally shocked. Annis is almost brutal at one point in pointing out the failings of Sam (which he said to his face), although he never wavers from his belief that Cardiff City would be nowhere without the intervention of our ex-Chairman in the year 2000.

There are also some surprises as we find out who Langston are and the likelihood of what the very near future holds for the loan note problem.

4. Family

Being a soppy sod this is probably my favourite part. Over the past 10 years or so Annis has gone through a fundamental change in his family make up and almost overnight he went from a family of himself and his parents, to a family of a devoted wife and gorgeous daughters. His parents died in close proximity to each other and this changed the man forever.

That said the years when he and his father worked on different entrepreneurial projects is amazing stuff. Everything from nightclubs to hotels as well as getting involved with the cheap cosmetics industry years before Vincent Tan had ever thought of eCosway.

5. Cardiff City

After his family CARDIFF CITY AFC are obviously the most important thing in Annis’ life. I often got the feeling that he thought of the club as extension of his own family, may be even the little sibling he never had and as a result he cared deeply for the club and would fight tooth and nail to protect it.

There are many tails about clashes with board members, protest marches and my favourite ditty when he went into the players changing rooms to confront Alan Durban! Come on anyone who remembers him would pay a lot of money to have done that.

All in all I can’t recommend this book enough. It goes above and beyond Shattered Dreams and gives a fantastic insight into an incredible lifestyle about a passionate guy who is determined to succeed in everything he does.

I hope that I have done a good job on this for Annis, it is too easy to think that you have but you do worry that it wont be received as well as you hope but comments like Tony's make me feel proud of my involvement and happy for Annis that his book is being read and people realise it is an honest account of all things he has experienced in his life.

It was a great learning curve for me and look forward to doing something similar again in the future.

Katy Hollowell Feeney(Facebook) saysThanks for the book. Warren had gone by the time it came so I started reading it. Its brilliant and I mean that, so interesting and easy to read

Katy Hollowell Feeney And it comes very highly recommended. Its a really interesting read with some great photos in too! I'm very impressed Annis. Warren was in stitches reading the part about the Rangers game xx2 hours ago · Unlike · 1 person

Finished reading the book last night and here's my honest review. As someone who was into the football culture in the 8o's I could relate to the stories and what really pleased me was the honesty of how it was told. Too many books written by ex lads are the usual never done,never run bollocks but this book tells the truth. It's not just about lads though and I was really intersted in the bits about Sam Hammam. I thought Sam was good for our club and revived a sleeping giant and I expected him to get nothing but praise in the book. I was wrong as this book honestly portrays Sam, warts and all and it's all the better for it. The marches against the Riddler are well covered and it shows how many people love this great club of ours. A fascinating read and I would recommend this book to anyone. Scary front cover though. The author should maybe diverse into films playing gangster parts. .

Finished reading the book yesterday, and it’s a great read. Anybody who thinks this is just another hooligan book, will be mistaken. Obviously there is reference to fighting at football matches, but this just makes up a small portion of the book. As you can imagine working in nightclubs and pubs from a young age, Annis has loads of great stories away from football. Some of my favourites were the ‘Body Shop’ one and the many stories of building up many nightclubs into the place to be. The stories about Sam Hamman and Peter Ridsdale are very interesting too.

One thing I did pick up from the book is, Annis is a very passionate man. Whether it’s business, football ,friends or of course his family. Annis always puts his heart and soul into anything he does.

His love for his family, friends and football is there from start to finish.

Bought mine from Stern's on Friday (along with a rather natty Fila t-shirt) and I'm about 60 pages in so far. It's a decent book up to where I am, although I did realise that it wasn't "just another football hooligan book" after reading previews and reviews of it. I'm looking forward to the rest as I think I've probably only just scratched the surface of it so far.

One very tiny criticism of it so far. The Chicken Run was to the right of the away end, not to the left as stated in the book

I've just had a few days off work and read this book in 2 days (sitting in the beer garden on Cathedral Road ). There's not a lot I can add which hasn't been said already in the above posts. It was a really good read but unlike the Soul Crew books this was much more personal. I don't wan't to spoil it for other people who are going to buy the book by mentioning chapters and stories I found funny and sad, that's all I can say is that it's a cracking book and I can Highly recommend it.

Bought The book in Albany road,fantastic read, the parts that i really enjoyed were reading about Annis's formative years working for his Dad in the Nightclubs, what came over to me in the book was what great people his Mum and Dad were. My late Dad when he was in the R.A.F saw The Ivy Benson Band, which Annis's mother played in. all in all a excellent read which i would highly recomened

Haven't bought/read the book yet but this has whetted my apetitie and I'll certainly be giving it a go....

Confronting Alan Durban?? Many WOULD have paid to see that!!

He (Durban the Welshman) came here with a glowing reputation following his success with unfashionable Stoke City but as was often the case for City managers in those days post-Jimmy Andrews and pre-Frank Burrows (maybe with the brief exception of Richie Morgan) he managed to flatter to deceive!!

I have just read the book from back to cover after actually getting time to buy it and with such a hectic life at present didn't know when I would get to read it, but once I started at 12pm today there was no way I could put it down until I had finished it.

There is one problem with it that I must highlight - Annis I really don't know how you can follow on from that in your writings , the book is simply fantastic , how you can follow on from that I just don't know.

For me at times it nearly had me in tears as it reminded me of all the great times we have had previously together and hopefully will have in the future too although it's sad to think that it will be never the same as it was back then. I feel sorry for the thousands of Cardiff City fans who missed those times and only know Cardiff City as it is today which is not a patch on yesteryear. It's a book that makes you laugh, cry and get's every emotion going through your veins. It's a history book , a football book , a business book and an autobiography all rolled into one , it's a pure classic that's for sure.

Your writings are fantastic , your memory is awesome to the point you even remember the Dublin lap dancing bar !!

George is now reading it with his head popping up now and then saying " what were you lot like "

Annis the book you should be very proud of , it's by far your best yet and to anyone who hasn't yet bought it , you really don't know what you are missing .

Well done Annis - you should be very proud and thanks my special friend for great memories and a fantastic trip back in time as well as a wonderful read.

Terry Phillips: Annis Abraham book on the Bluebirds tells it as it wasby Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo Oct 14 2011

ONE of the first times I met Annis Abraham was at Ninian Park when he was among a group of fans who burst up the stairs of the main stand and confronted me in the old press box.

The group had set out to vent their feelings towards Cardiff City directors about the club’s decline, but those in the boardroom had heard of plans to protest and left quickly after the match.

Those fans, around 12 in all, swept straight past the boardroom at the top of the stairs and on up to the press box.

Ninian Park security men rushed across, but they only wanted to talk, maybe shout, and say how they felt.

I agreed to meet them the next day, at the 1927 Cafe in Splott owned and run by Bluebirds fan Lee Beames.

Annis and I have had a love-hate relationship ever since. There are times when we get on well, many others when we don’t.

To his immense credit, Abraham is a far more mature individual now than when I first met him.

He is a family man who puts wife Joanne and his daughter above everything.

One factor I have never, ever doubted is his passion for Cardiff City Football Club and his huge collection of Bluebirds’ memorabilia is something to behold.

He outlines his life in a newly published book ‘Annis – My Story’ with a foreword by former owner Sam Hammam, who says he has learned from his friend.

“What I learned from Annis is a Cardiff City of the past, nostalgia, and of roots,” says Hammam.

“Annis’ mind is for the future, but his heart is in the past. It is Ninian Park he longs for.

“The new logo which was designed to promote our Welshness he hated and lobbied successfully to get the previous one back.

“Annis wants standing, not seats for the hardcore and younger fans. He is fixated with a dislike of Swansea – and loathes rugby and their people who are jealous of the massive superiority of football.”

In his book, Abraham talks about his life from childhood through to the present day.

He speaks about his on-off-on again relationship with Hammam, plus the moment he called for Peter Ridsdale’s resignation at an EGM. He would later organise a 2,000-strong march against the chairman.

And he told manager Dave Jones last May exactly how he felt when a 1-1 draw at Burnley saw Swansea City finish above them for the first time in 18 years.

“I shouted loudly to Jones and he looked straight at me,” he said.

“For six seasons I had said nothing, but this time I said he should do the right thing and leave our club.

“He just shrugged his shoulders and wandered down the tunnel.”

Abraham has been in a unique position to chart the ups and downs of the club he has fervently followed since childhood.

There are too many nicknames in there for me, but the book is a good insight into his life and the individuals who have run the Bluebirds.

The stories are spot on because Abraham was there at the time.

He tells it as it was, even his view on the trouble he was caught up in at the 2000 European Championships in Belgium and the BBC Panorama programme ‘England’s Shame’ which he featured in.

Received the book out in sunny Cyprus and went straight to parts that I thought I would be more interested in (Hamamm, Riddler etc) and then read it from the start after that. I read it in three sittings altogether which I never normally do (work interrupted me unfortunately). It's a bit like watching 24 or playing football manager in that you just want one more episode or one more match. Really addictive reading. I found myself really gutted though when I got near the end and I realised I had read the chapters I had got to already.

Really good book mate. Well written and flowed amazingly throughout. I was glad it wasn't a hoolie book and glad you spoke so much about your family and your upbringing. I would have liked a bit more about the Rick Wright days as that is when I got into the City but there is plenty in for your money.

It has made me desperate to go away with Wales now talking about the trips following City in Europe. Nearest thing we will get now.

Congratulations Annis. It will be great for your young ladies to read this as they grow up and I am sure it will make them very proud.

when the book turns into a film like "cass" i think all members on this board should be given a role as an extra.....and after buying all of annis's books (even got 4 copies of from wembley way) because i asked the family for it, they all bought me a copy, i should be given the role of "annis" hahah

Just finished the book.really enjoyed it.Cant believe it was 27yrs ago i was going to Ceasars.where has time gone The first time i went i never had my contact lenses on and i remember going the next week and seeing that the far wall of the club had huge mirrors. Always wore them after that.

easily the best football related book ive read,always fun to read about clashes with rival supporters but the best and most interesting part for me was your dealings with the weird,wacky and wonderful sam hamamm(he really should have gone ahead and burnt them english football shirts )hopefully malky can get city in the premiership ,you and the lads who travelled all over the country during the 3rd and 4th division days deserve it

It is a really good read and as Daya said it is difficult to put down.

The book is a great account of Annis' life and has some really great stories (George at Bradford, Durban at Walsall to name but a few) and it trawls through the chequered history of my club in the 80s and 90s when i was a regular at NP. Some of the stories i was aware of others i wasnt.

There is also a real element of sadness with the stories about Annis' parents. Annis your parents will be looking down on you and your family with a real sense of pride.

The book gives the truth about the panorama incident in Brussels (i for one was hugely critical of AA at the time in 2000 and called him all the names under the sun) and proves how the media can manipulate situations and make people look bad.

bluebird04 wrote:when the book turns into a film like "cass" i think all members on this board should be given a role as an extra.....and after buying all of annis's books (even got 4 copies of from wembley way) because i asked the family for it, they all bought me a copy, i should be given the role of "annis" hahah

Milly and Chippy can play the Newport Fans. Baz can play Sam. Merlin the Ridler, Carl Curtis can play himself, Dibs one of the Blackburn Fans,

hi annis bought your book from our mate maxi good read, loved the casual years bit and very intresting about sam years. i was wondering tho.................... remember a trip to wrexham 1998 we were all having a pint and you said the best thing that would happen to ccfc was for us to go down next season because someone wanted to buy the club.when did sam first show an intrest in the city he and was he the one you were refering to

Ive just read up to chapter 14 tonight! I was very interested in the 70's and 80's and i must admit it was like that in the day! And it's exactly what is was like being an Owls fan where we were in the lower divisions up to 84! The "Good Old Day's" we called them and they were the best years of my life! Football day's with the lad's, music and clothes! That's how good they were we even still wear the gear but we all are a bit heavier now! Being, Wednesday, Cardiff, or even Cambridge or Luton everyone had a firm and ive read some books in my time and even been in a few and i must admit it's worth the buy and im looking foward to reading the rest of the book if it's as good as the first 14 chapters! Im also friends with a lot of the lads in the book from the 70's and 80's and they are just the people Annis potray's them to be in the book all Character's in their own way!

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